Fence-post.



No. 730,966. PATENTED JUNE 16, 19 03. C. A. REED.

FENCE POST.

APPLIOATION FILED JAN. 31, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

U ITED STATES- Patented June 16, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES A. REED,'0F PAYNE, OHIO, ASSIGNOR F ONE-HALF TO EMMET J. oEEss,OF PAYNE, OHIO.

FENCE-POST.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 730,966, dated June 16,1903.

Application filed January 31,1908. Serial No. 141,340. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES A. REED, a citizen of the United States,residing at Payne, in the county of Paulding and State of Ohio,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence-Posts, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in posts for use in wire-fenceconstruction and contemplates the provision of a structure of post whichwill obviate many of the disadvantages to be found in those at presentin use.

The present invention is of the type embodying the use of a metallicpost having a plastic base, and among the novel features of the same arethe peculiar manner of securing the post to the base, the peculiar formof the post which enables a practicable combination of same with itsbase, and also the special form of the plastic base itself, which is ofgreat importance tothe practicability of the device.

The invention further aims to provide a post which, as regards to cost,is within the limit of the average buyer and which when placed inposition is anchored in such a manner as to firmly withstand the strainof the line-wires. shown in the drawings is not anchored against theupheavals of the ground around the base of same, caused often by thepenetration of frost into the ground or continuous rainy weather andsubsequent drying, which causes the ground to crack, so that the samelifts,

carrying the post with it. The post hereinafter described is designed toobviate to a great extent the above disadvantage.

For a full description of the inventionand the merits thereof and alsoto acquire aknowlo edge of the details of construction of the means foreffecting the result reference is to be had to the following descriptionand d rawings hereto attached.

WVhile the essential and characteristic fea- 5 tures of theinvention aresusceptible of modification, still the preferred embodiment of theinvention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which.

Figure'l is a perspective view showing the corner and intermediateposts. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the corner-post, showing Theordinary post of the classthe base in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is a similarView of the intermediate post. Fig. 4 is a sec tional view of thecorner-post and base.

Corresponding and like "parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the drawings by the samereference characters.

The post 1 is preferably an angle-bar and is provided with any suitablemeans, such as the openings 2, for securing the line-wires thereto. Thelower end of the said post has lateral wings 3, which assist in firmlyholding the plastic base 4 to same in a manner which will be clearlyseen. This lower portion of the post has the plastic base molded aroundsame, which base tapers toward its upper end for purposes to behereinafter set forth. The form of post as above described is shown inFig. 2 of the drawings and is used as a linepost only. The hardenedplastic base 4. may be of any material or composition of materials suchas concrete,cement, and the like and is applied while in a plasticstate.

The corner-posts, which of course receive the strain of the line offence, are of somewhat-differentconstruct-ion. Thepostproper (designatedat l) is the same as used in the line-posts having the wings 3. Legs 5,however, diverge downwardly from the lower portion of the post and arebent to form inner extensions 6. These legs are of metal and arefastened to the post 1 by any fastening means, such as bolts 8 or thelike. The plastic base of the corner-posts is also formed with laterallegs 7, preferably four in number. Two of the legs of the plastic baseare molded about the diverging metal legs of the post. Thelatter-mentioned legs also taper toward the upper portions thereof andare cut away on an incline, as clearly illustrated.

The exact form of the metal legs 5 is very important in that the innerextensions 6 serve to confine the plastic material forming the legs '7in such a manner as to make it almost an impossibility to break theplastic material away from same. The legs? also are of such formationthat theywill anchor the post as Well as if the base were an entirelysolid mass of plastic material. However, were the base a solid mass, asbefore promised, a lifting of the ground caused by frost or otherl'COwise would dislodge the whole post and make it absolutely unserviceableuntil the earth is dug away and again packed about the same. Should theground lift about the post herein described, one of the legs may bebroken from the others, but the remaining legs would still firmly anchorthe device. Again, should the upheaval of the earth be so great as tocrack the plastic legs 7 the metal legs 5, which are disposed in adirection to resist the strain of the line-wires, will be sufficient tomake the anchorage of the post 1 secure. The upward tapering of the legs7 and the base 4, as shown in Fig. 2, is to assist in preventing liftingof the post, as will be easily understood.

It is preferred to use only two metal legs, though the number of thesemay be governed by the number of the plastic legs, if desirable.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. Incombinatioma fence-post provided with downwardly-diverging legs bent toform inner extensions, and a base having legs of plastic material inahardened state cast about the aforesaid legs of the post, substantiallyas described.

2. In combination, a metallic fence -post havinglateral wings at thelower end thereof, metal legs diverging downwardly from the lowerportion of the post and bent to provide inner extensions, and a basecomprising separate legs of hardened plastic material formed about theaforesaid metal legs and confined thereto by the aforesaid innerextensions of same and the wings of the post, substantially as and forthe purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

